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Sold a car, guy won't give the license plate back.

Shawn

Shawn

Lifer
I put up a car on craigslist and it sold in less than one day. I didn't expect it to sell so fast and I was unprepared. I offered to go to the DMV with him but he told me it wasn't necessary and that all he needed was the title. He handed me the cash and I wrote up a bill of sale and handed him the title. I completely forgot to take the license plate off.

Now he won't return my calls or e-mails. What do I do now?
 
Go to the DMV anyway, they can cancel the plates in your name at least and if he gets pulled over you won't be on the hook.
 
I would call the DMV and ask. But you probably can't do that till Tuesday so in the meantime I would keep trying to contact him.
 
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Smash his windows
Click to expand...

Why? Who cares about the plates. Once the car is sold and the title is signed by the seller it means absolutely nothing....unless you have an emotional attachment to the plate for some reason at which time you arrange with the person who bought the car to return them when issued their new one. That is of course unless you live in CA where the plate stays with the car forever.
 
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Smash his windows
Click to expand...

Why? Who cares about the plates. Once the car is sold and the title is signed by the seller it means absolutely nothing....unless you have an emotional attachment to the plate for some reason at which time you arrange with the person who bought the car to return them when issued their new one. That is of course unless you live in CA where the plate stays with the car forever.
Click to expand...

maybe its a custom plate
 
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Smash his windows
Click to expand...

Why? Who cares about the plates. Once the car is sold and the title is signed by the seller it means absolutely nothing....unless you have an emotional attachment to the plate for some reason at which time you arrange with the person who bought the car to return them when issued their new one. That is of course unless you live in CA where the plate stays with the car forever.
Click to expand...

maybe its a custom plate
Click to expand...

Well we won't know til the OP tells us now will we? If that is the case he should have removed it before he sold it.
 
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Smash his windows
Click to expand...

Why? Who cares about the plates. Once the car is sold and the title is signed by the seller it means absolutely nothing....unless you have an emotional attachment to the plate for some reason at which time you arrange with the person who bought the car to return them when issued their new one. That is of course unless you live in CA where the plate stays with the car forever.
Click to expand...

Depends on the state. Currently, the car and the plates are still registered to the OP.
 
It just depends on FL laws. In NC if yo cancel the insurance before turning the plate into the DMV you get a nice little fine for your trouble. Different states, vastly different laws.
 
In MA, you can transfer your plates from one car to another(ie. removing the plates from car you're selling/trading in and using the same plates on the new car). At one point, I used the same plates for 4 different cars.
 
http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/protect.html

Sold your Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Protect Yourself!
Have you sold your motor vehicle, mobile home or vessel? Has the purchaser applied for a transfer of title into their name? If not, this can present legal issues for you, the seller. These problems can be avoided by filing a form HSMV 82050, Notice of Sale. Section 319. 22(2), Florida Statutes, provides that by filing this form, you can avoid any civil liability for the operation of the sold motor vehicle, vessel or mobile home. In addition to filing this form, we suggest you keep a copy of your bill of sale (we suggest it be notarized), certificate of title or other type of transaction document showing it was sold.

The form HSMV 82050, once completed, may be submitted to your local tax collector's office. To learn more about this process, please click on the following link to go to DMV Procedure TL-52.

Click on the following link to view or print form HSMV 82050. Please note you may fill out this form using your PC keyboard before you print it out for submittal.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE SUBMISSION OF THIS FORM TO A TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE WILL ALLOW THE TAX COLLECTOR OR LICENSE PLATE AGENCY TO UPDATE THE DMV DATABASE TO REFLECT THE TITLE RECORD AS "SOLD." THE OWNERSHIP STATUS, HOWEVER, WILL NOT CHANGE ON THE DMV DATABASE UNTIL THE PURCHASER APPLIES FOR AND IS ISSUED A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE. THE SELLER'S REGISTRATION INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE TITLE RECORD WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE DMV DATABASE. THEREBY, MAKING IT ILLEGAL FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLE TO BE OPERATED ON THE HIGHWAYS OF FLORIDA, UNTIL THE PURCHASER APPLIES FOR AND IS ISSUED A VALID REGISTRATION FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLE.


http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/forms/BTR/82050.pdf
 
Originally posted by: Shawn
He handed me the cash and I wrote up a bill of sale and handed him the title. I completely forgot to take the license plate off. What do I do now?
Click to expand...

Deposit or spend the cash.

 
I sold a truck in 2004. I did the transfer but I still get notices of tickets when the guy runs the toll plaza in the Bay Area.
I tried to straighten it out twice then gave up.
 
All you have to do is report sold online and release responsibilities, DMV. The plates stay with the car bro.
 
Here in South Dakota you keep your plates in a sale. They just moved to this, and I don't know why, probably saved some paperwork somewhere.
 
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Why do you need the plates? I have bought and sold a lot of cars and the plates have always stayed with the cars.
Click to expand...

ive sold lots of cars and always keep the plates

just call the DMV, theyll tell you what to do and get it sorted out pretty easy
 
Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Originally posted by: Ronstang
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
Smash his windows
Click to expand...

Why? Who cares about the plates. Once the car is sold and the title is signed by the seller it means absolutely nothing....unless you have an emotional attachment to the plate for some reason at which time you arrange with the person who bought the car to return them when issued their new one. That is of course unless you live in CA where the plate stays with the car forever.
Click to expand...

Depends on the state. Currently, the car and the plates are still registered to the OP.
Click to expand...
There you go. Think of the implications if the purchaser is in an accident. Think of the implications of the purchaser being involved in an accident that results in an injury or death.

I used to casually sell my cars, signing off on the title fully expecting them to do the right thing and get the car titled and registered in their name. I found out that people can't be trusted when the phone rang and it was the police inquiring about the accident my car was in.

Everything turned out OK that time. But after that, it was a requirement that the purchaser meet me at the SOS's office and title the car in his name. If they weren't willing, then no sale. I had some that weren't willing.

Those convicted of multiple drunk driving offenses in Michigan can no longer legally operate a car on our roads. They can't get a car registered either. Buying a car in the manner the OP talks of is one way to circumvent those laws. Our plates stay with the original purchaser, not the car.

If it was myself, I'd call the DMV and the Police first thing this morning. At the very least, call or go in person to the DMV and explain the situation. I hope you have a copy of the bill of sale.

Edit: Forgot it's a gub'ment holiday today.
 
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